Final Fantasy X3:  Hymn of the Fayth
by Call me Sora
Summary: About nineteen years after Tidus and Yuna are reuinited, the fate of the world falls upon the shoulders of their daughter, Yume, her best friend Vadina, and a few old friends. But they will find themselves asking what is dream and what is reality?
1. Chapter 1:  Your Star

Hello, all you fanfic readers. This is not my first fic, but it is the first one in a long while, so bear with me the first chapter. As we all know, it can be the super kicker in the ass. I hope you readers reveiw, and please tell me whether or not I am sticking to the original game's character. I know Tidus may seem out of whack, but he is . . . yeah. He's okay . . . The rest . . . that's what I mean.

Oh stop listening to my griping and just read. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 1: Your Star

_We're wondering now._

_All in parts and pieces, swim lonely, find your way out._

_ --Amy Lee_

She could feel it. She could feel the winds of change. The consistent ocean would not protect her anymore. The memories of ages past pushed against the shore like a rough hand waking someone from a deep slumber.

Yume was momentarily lost in the moment. Her spiky blond hair was not undaunted by the water washing over her slender, yet strong form. She heard a yell in the distance and looked up to the blitz ball that was coming towards her head. Within a minute, she was in the air, the Jecht Shot perfected with hours of training. Wakka gave a whistle from the shoreline and Vadina gave a whoop.

The team sang her feat over and over until the team captain, Tidus yelled for them to be silent. Yume's eyes fell to the water. Her father had been in a foul mood for so long. Tidus called her name in a solemn tone. Yume trod out of the water as the storm clouds began to move in.

Yume let her head hang low as she followed her father silently. She knew the reason. Mother's illness. When Tidus opened the curtain to the tent and the clouds and thunder came in as well as Yume.

Yuna lay on the bed. Yume tried to ignore the kiss that Tidus and Yuna shared. She hated seeing her mother in such a horrible state. She was the bringer of the Eternal Calm, and here she was dying of some unknown disease.

Tidus and Yuna had been married within the week of his return to Besaid. Within the next year they had had brought Yume into the world. Yume now stood before the two with love overflowing in her eyes in the form of silver tears. That was a starnge characteristic that Yume had--silver tears. Her eyes came from somewhere else as well. One was purple and the other was ochre. Her features were mixed from the best of her father and her mother. There was only one problem, her hair's spiky nature. Her mother always laughed at the numerous cowlicks that Yume woke up with.

But that was when she was well. Now Yuna could only manage small chuckles. Yuna had become sick over ten years ago, when Yume was only eight. It was like something was eating away at Yuna, just taking her life away. What was worse was that every time Yume came near Yuna, the mother had an attack.

So Yume stayed her distance. And smiled to her mother lovingly. All of her love went into the smile and Yuna returned it.

"I hear that you are going to be the highlight of the team!" Yuna whispered.

"Thank you momma, I love you. I hope you're well by the time we get back!" Yume said. She could feel the tears pricking her eyes. Tidus merely nodded.

"Songstresses are going to open the games," Tidus whispered. Yuna grinned. Up until Yume was eight, Yuna had opened the games with a few of her songs. Up until she was sick.

"Yume," Yuna began, Yume walked closer and Yuna began to cough. Yume stepped back and the pain seemed to ease. "Take my dress grid. You should open up the games too. I can see your performance from Shinra's comm-sphere! It will be so exciting!"

Yume thanked her mother and took the dress grid. Tidus let Yume leave for the boat. He clasped Yuna's hand in his.

"I love you, Yuna," Tidus began. Yuna smiled as a tear ran down her soft cheek.

"I have two years left to live. Two," said the Summoner.

Tidus nodded. Something within him knew that. The hole in his heart started to beat.

"I don't want you to leave," Tidus began. Yuna shook her head.

"I know. But If I do not go, then you will fade. Do you know what would happen if you faded? I would die of a broken heart. And I don't know what would happen to our wonderful daughter."

Tidus held Yuna's face.

"We can solve this. We will solve this."

With that Tidus bade farewell and stormed out of the tent.

The boat rocked in the ocean as the storm came along. The rain was a nice reprieve from the rampant sun. Yume and Vadina sat together in the rain.

"What do you think is going to happen?" Vadina asked, his dark eyes looking at the waters. His reddish black hair was unruly in the wind, but his features were a beautiful mix of his father's and his mother's. Vadina was quite the heartbreaker in Besaid. Both Blitzball players were sitting at the edge of the ship's railing.

"Momma is going to die. I can feel it. I think . . . I think it's my fault."

Vadina gave a yell and turned to her.

"That's insane! It is a sickness that is attacking her, not you!"

Yume shushed him. "I don't wanna talk about it anymore. I have to prepare to sing for the competitions."

Yume began to blush. Vadina lost his initial anger. Then he broke out into a laugh.

"You're kidding? You? Singing? You screamed like a mad woman when my mother tried to put you in a dress!" Vadina laughed.

Yume scrunched her nose up.

"So?"

Wakka came up behind the two and gave them both a push. At first, the two almost fell off into the ocean, but the railing saved them. Wakka laughed hysterically.

"Oh, man, that was great!" Wakka said. Vadina gave a yell.

"What the hell? You should have stayed home with Mom! I can't believe an old geezer like you is going to play!" Vadina yelled out of frustration.

Wakka gave a triumphant laugh. "You think you could beat me at a game of blitz ball? Ha! You have never seen me play, boy!"

Vadina growled and took a ball from the sling on his back.

"Want to test it?" Vadina asked. Wakka shook his head, very anticlimactically.

"You'll use your mother's black magic. And besides, I didn't come out here to mess with you, I came to see Yume."

The girl looked to Wakka with a raised eyebrow.

"Really? What for?" She asked.

"C'mon. Your father wants to speak with you--"

Just then the boat jerked to one side. Yume, who was still sitting on the edge was thrown overboard. Water rushed through her and into her ears like a cold embrace. She heard an unworldly yell through the water and opened her eyes. She could see a monstrous grey beast from her new view under the boat.

She had heard the stories. She had heard them, but wondered what he looked like. And here he was.

Sin.

What was he doing here? Yume realized there was burning in her lungs, but her body was paralyzed with fear. Silver flowed from her eyes. Then a strong hand drug her up to the deck. The world was back.

Vadina was patting her back.

"What the hell?!" came a yell from Wakka. Yume saw her father break through the cabin. He shot her a glare and he mouthed something odd. Before Yume could ask what he had said, he was off fighting Sin.

The dress spheres. Yume took the odd contraption and felt a sword in her hand. Thank Shinra for the technology. She joined her father. Vadina was already trying to cast horrific spells against the thing.

Cuts in the skin and armor of Sin began to ship away and blood spurted from the monster to the deck, bathing it in blackness. Yume could feel outrage in her body forming and launched into the air and she ran along the top of the beast. The men were gasping at her feats with wonderment, but she did not care.

Something was driving her against this disgusting thing. He was never meant to be. If he was meant to be then that meant her mother would die sooner. And her father would too. There was no way that Yume would ever allow that to happen.

She ran to the eyes and started to slash over and over. The ocean was coming towards her fast, and Yume saw why. Sin was diving.

"No you don't!" Yume yelled and rammed the sword deep into the nose of the beast. The water pressure beat down on her. And then she felt an freezing cold sensation take over her body. Ice.

Ice could stop the bastard in water! Yume nearly laughed out loud as the Sin-popsicle started to rise. The ice crystals were forming all over, but Yume did not know where it was coming from. The she looked towards the boat, which was very far away. She could see Vadina, barely that is, and he was casting spells.

The ice started to move in on her as well. Yume did not know what to do, so she grabbed her sword and dove into the ocean. She could see the frozen myth and all its glory from under water. Vadina was an extremely talented mage to have accomplished this.

Yume made it to the boat, quite out of breath. The sailors cheered her and Vadina on, but there was a certain air of solemnity following afterwards. Though Luca was soon in the distance, the appearance of Sin was astonishing.

Yume eventually went down to see her father, Tidus before the boat docked. He was sitting with a sphere in his hands, tears glistening. Uh oh, father was near tears. Yume braced herself.

"Yume, Sin is not supposed to exist any longer," Tidus began. Yume nodded. Tidus felt rage burning within him. He was still in shock. Why was this happening? Had someone revived Sin, and if so, how?

"I know. Momma brought about the Eternal Calm by killing Yunalesca with you by her side. Then you disappeared for two years. And you came back. And everything was fine, right?" Yume began. Tidus looked to his daughter. She did not know. She knew nothing about the dream. She knew nothing about the dream of the Fayth. He didn't want to tell her. Who would want to? Tidus was about to say something, but there was shouting on the decks above.

"I guess Vadina and his father have finally destroyed the Sin Popsicle, don't you think? I guess the newer generation of heroes is slightly stronger than their aging predecessors!" Yume exclaimed, trying to change the subject. Tidus just nodded. That was all he could do at this point. His spirit was broken. But it was living in his daughter. He watched the vibrant young woman walk on deck. She was congratulating her friend. Wakka came below to sit with Tidus for a while.

Wakka held a blue blitz ball in his hands, pressing on it, watching his fingers turn from tan to white.

"When we get back, cuz, the Gullwings will meet us on the beach at midnight with a new store of old spheres," Wakka said.

"I hate to see her get dragged into this. I hate to see Yuna in this pain! I have been trying for so long. Should I stop searching?" Tidus asked. Wakka gave a weak laugh.

"You know, its not over till Yuna gives her last breath, and even then, death is negotiable. A tip from Lu," Wakka said. Tidus smiled.

"Well, lets forget about Sin and our problems right now. We have to cream the Luca Goers!" Tidus stood, his cheer fake, but some light was better than none.

The light and water was forming around the stage of light. Yume stood in the center of it all, the Songstress outfit revealing and awkward on her. Others had complimented her on the change, yet she felt completely naked without her game gear. She stood in the center with a microphone in her hand. She could feel the energy of the entire stadium.

None of them knew the rising danger. None of them knew about Sin. So she would have to give them the spirit to fight. The spirit of Blitzball. She would perform her mother's duties.

Lights came. The song flowed in her head like a lost melody. There was piano.

There was the birth of stars.

There was the wind that carried the black ribbons off of the blue dress.

"I can't see your star," and other vocals moved in, whispers of hidden messages slipping in through Yume's thoughts. The beginning was ever so soft, ever so calm, but the notes built. The lyrics became darker.

The bass came in.

The guitar came in again and beat Yume's heart. And the verse belted out with such energy, light washed over the audience.

It was like battle. The entire song proceeded like a battle in the rain.

"Its growing colder, without your love! Why can't you feel me calling your name? Can't break the silence! Its breaking me . . ."

The blitz ball came and Tidus could still hear his daughter's song, though she was by his side, fending off the Goers better than he ever did. Her technique and skill was wonderful even as he saw her go for a deadly shot. They were cornered by a few Goers, but Yume was not put out in any way by this. She merely looked to her father. He smiled. Within an instant, Tidus launched the ball directly upwards. Yume used his shoulders to launch herself up, forcing her father down with Vadina and the others. They began to follow the shadow of the flying girl.

Yume could see everyone in the stark light. The blue world was gone only momentarily. Her foot connected solidly with the ball, sending it through the net of the Goers, adding another point to their score and putting the Goers completely out of the tournament. As Yume fell back into the water, she could feel the victory wash over her. But the water jerked.

Tidus was apprehensive when the team was taken out of the arena. Yume did not understand why. He was experiencing flash backs of some kind, even during the Champion's celebratory meal.

By the time Yume and her father returned to Besaid, he was a complete nervous wreck. He had jumped at every bump on the ride. Vadina, Yume, and the rest of the team were talking excitedly of the highlights of the game, with Tidus leading the way, Wakka supporting him.

The home beach was almost a welcome sight. Yume could not believe her eyes when she saw the Celsius sitting in the little beach.

There she saw Rikku and Paine together. Gippal was sitting on a crate nearby and Brother was whispering curses in Al Bhed with Yume's name dripping from the ends.

Tidus stopped dead in his tracks when he saw them all. Rikku gave him a sympathetic look. It was the middle of the day, not midnight like Tidus and the Gullwings had agreed. There was something terribly wrong.

"Tidus, I think you should see this before Yume walks another step," Rikku said. Paine gave Tidus a hard look. For some reason, Tidus thought of Auron at that moment, but he said nothing about that.

Tidus looked at the apprehensive group behind him. "Everyone but Wakka and Yume go."

Vadina refused to leave Yume's side, so Tidus allowed him to stay. Rikku and Paine gave a sigh. Then Brother came in.

He pointed his fingers and spluttered all over Yume with curses that Yume pretended she didn't understand. Yume returned half of them to him, but Tidus silenced them both.

"Now what is it, Rikku?" Tidus asked. Paine stepped up and grabbed the blue sphere from Rikku's hands. There was a whinny 'Hey' and a grunt from Gippal.

"This sphere is the one that you have been looking for. We found it in the aerial ruins above Mt. Gagazet. It points to seven other ruins just like it--"

"It'll be easier for you to understand if you just read it," Gippal interjected.

Yume had briefly met the friends of the family, yet she had a feeling that she was about to become very acquainted with them.


	2. Chapter 2: Butterflies and Hurricanes

Yep. I made it to chapter two. This here is like . . . cool. . . . really. Did I already explain the song lyrics and then the artist thing? I tried not to use the name of the band. . . and it all links in together. Right. This chapter introduces and old buddy. . . . actually, a few old buddies. Eheh. Please read and review. . . . (cricket chirps)

Chapter: 2 Butterflies and Hurricanes--Yume

_Change,_

_Everything you are_

_and everything you were_

_your number had been called_

_fights, battles have begun_

_revenge will surely come_

_your hard times are ahead._

_ ---Chris Walstenholme_

What was it about the cold metal of a ship to bring into perspective how much warmer human skin is? I truthfully don't know. Ever since I was a child I wanted to fly on the Celsius, but right now, I didn't even want to smell the exhaust.

Brother had cursed me to no end. It was because of mother's condition and I had a feeling that I had something to do with it all. Dad was intense. Vadina stood firmly behind me, bringing me strength. That was a true friend. I hoped he wouldn't regret it.

We all went inside the ship, and went to the control room, where the sky and ocean met my gaze. It was an extraordinary sight, but the solemnity drained the moment of my awe. An older, blond Shinra sat behind the console of the master computer that was growing with his homemade extensions. He saw Tidus and gave a nod. But when Shinra saw me his singular green eyes drew to almost a close. Rikku patted my shoulder and stood close to the huge screen.

All of us, out eyes ready to view this much anticipated sphere, were beginning to hold our breaths as Shinra inserted the sphere to the viewer. There was some white noise and Shinra adjusted something. The picture came in perfectly clear and a child's voice was heard. The vision was of a field of flowers and light.

"The dream is taking its toll." came the words from a child. In the field of flowers, there faded an image of a blue hooded child. He smiled to the camera and the view shifted dramatically to a dark cave. I noticed that Shinra's gaze was still searching the image.

"Lady Yuna is paying a price that we never meant her to pay," came another child's voice. The camera was moving in the dark cave.

"Love cannot succeed when there is something unnatural latching onto her." came another voice. Finally the dark cave came to an opening. It looked like Zanarkand, or at least what my father described to me. There was a woman with long hair much like Mom's and she was sitting with a man that looked nearly identical to my Dad. She waved to the sphere as it came closer.

"It is a dark parasite indeed," said the child. "Lenne, say hi to Yume, Yuna's daughter."

At this moment, I felt a chill fall down my spine. Lenne, the woman waved, but she became sad once more. "Shuyin, you too," said the kind woman.

The Dad-look alike waved and then stood.

The vision shifted once more. This time Shinra stood straight up in his chair. He said out loud that this was never on the sphere before. On the screen there was a new structure that looked like a perfect temple from a thousand and some odd years ago. There were pyreflies flowing from the columns as if they were apart of the structure itself. I could feel something within my self waking as I saw this. My eyes started to sting. I hate it when I cry because everyone always notices. My tears are of silver.

I saw several Sins emerge, Aeons from different times, monsters and other beings. People were coming back. The camera seemed to be dropped and the sound of a child falling into deep sleep was heard and the screen blinked shut.

The monitor was black for a few moments more before Shinra finally turned it off. Dad let out a breath. Vadina touched my hand, making me breath once more.

"This is connected with Yuna's sickness, somehow. And Yume, but that is all we know," Gippal said. "Spira is in for a rude awakening."

Dad narrowed his eyes at that. It felt as if the tension could be cut with a bastard sword.

"What do you suppose we do, Mr. Doom and Gloom?" yelled Rikku. Paine finally stepped in.

"It appears that not all of the beasts that we have seen on the sphere are all on this plane just yet," said the silver haired woman. She was truly an admirable woman. But what she said had a point.

"What do you mean by plane?" I asked. Paine stepped towards me.

"Planes. Like our plane is Spira. Those who are dead live in the otherworld, you know like your mother used to send people's spirits to the afterlife. Well, what do you suppose Aeons and the Fayth are? They are from the land of the dead."

Suddenly, it was all making sense. "Who cares about that? I want to know how whoever was controlling the sphere got it to move through places that fast!" Shinra yelled. I raised an eyebrow. That seemed fairly obvious.

"Well, can't they just turn it off and turn it back on?" Vadina said, beating me to the punch. Shinra shook his head.

"No. This was a continual loop. It was actual time. And how did that last section just appear?" Shinra was making a fuss and pecking at his computer furiously. I turned my attention to the older generation.

"What needs to be done is this: Lets find out what the hell is really going on and prevent all of those beasts from coming over to our plane!" Rikku yelled. Maybe she wasn't as old as I needed her to be. I looked to Paine and Gippal. Dad was also listening in closely.

"Obviously this has something to do with Yume. And the Farplane. You know how the Fayth are, Tidus." Paine said. Rikku nodded. Tidus sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"How does this link to Yuna's illness? They mention an unnatural parasite, but how do we even begin to look for something that we know nothing about?" Tidus asked. Gippal gave a heave of air.

"Are you really that simple minded? Yuna's illness is somehow connected to the appearance of the dead things leaking out into our world. We love Yuna just as much as you do, but we have to look at the big picture here. Yuna is something small compared to the millions of people all over Spira. Can you even imagine what mayhem is going on? The Al Behd have been trying to save their own people when Cid himself is on his death bed! Grow some balls, Tidus!"

That was something I never wanted to hear. Eww . . . . But other than the gross factor, I was able to smack Gippal about as fast as Paine, Riku, and the punch my father threw in. Dad stormed out of the Celcius, Vadina grabbed my hand and forced me to come along, and Paine and Rikku followed.

It was already sunset at Besaid Island. Paine folded her arms and shifted her weight to her hip.

"Sorry about Gippal, but he does have a point. We must think about Spira at this point. We must assemble a team, just as New Yevon, the Al Behd, and the Youth League are doing. Judging from their previous actions, I feel as if we can't trust them to get the job done one hundred percent," Paine said.

"Yeah, seriously, when Shuyin and Lenne were having relationship problems that could cause world obliteration, everyone wanted to duke it all out!" Rikku interjected. Dad merely nodded in response.

I felt like a lump on a log. Until it dawned on me. Well, didn't Mom used to talk about the Chamber of the Fayth?

"Why don't we look for clues in the temples?" I suggested. Dad looked at me for the first time since we had left the Celcius. "Vadina, Dad, and I could go. You two could review the sphere some more!" I exclaimed.

Dad nodded. Rikku and Paine just said that they wanted to go with us. And so we made our way to the temple.

Yes. The temple.

I could remember the temple from childhood memory. Vadina and I used to play hide and seek around it as it crumbled. Even now, it was still crumbling like a bad memory of hard times. The walls echoed with the hymn of the Fayth and the prayers of hundreds. And then there was a gutteral sound from the depths, and scratching on the door.

Wakka gave a gasp. And all five of us gave some kind of shriek. Lulu was also standing there, but she was smiling.

"I had a feeling that would do the trick. Why don't we see who is knocking on the door?" Lulu suggested. Slightly miffed by their sudden appearance, Vadina went up to his dad and wanted to know what he was doing there. But when the door opened everyone was silenced. The dagger and sword in my hands were ready to go for whatever came out.

A man in a red yukata and a bottle of sake stumbled through the portal. Dad, Wakka, Lulu, and Rikku gasped. Vadina, Paine, and I were ready to launch attacks, but when this huge beast came through, we decided that he might need some help.

The beast gave a roar that shook the rocks in the temple. The walls began to crumble with the sound of his voice. It was like a bad nightmare, only all over. Something awoke within me and I could feel this huge, birdlike creature crying in pain. It had dark feathers, and its eyes were leaking silver tears.

_Free Me_ _Summoner._

So I hoisted my sword and dagger. And I began to charge. Nothing else existed as I struck the beast, severing it from its dark form and releasing the light. A great red bird flew from the pile of black feathers and everyone around me gasped as the bird plunged towards me.


	3. Chapter 3: Honestly OK

Hmm. . . . Welly Well well well well. . . . Chapter three. This chapter is through Auron's eyes. I am wondering whether to continue this pattern of shifting the POV, or should I just go through the team once and then make all of the other chapters through Yume's eyes? I wanted the whole . . ."My story" type thing, But I think it is important for the reader to know that Tudus has been withholding info from Yume. . .. so You guys who read it, tell me what YOU think. Because you guys are great and awesome . . . And stuff.

Chapter Three: Honestly OK—_Auron_

_I just want to feel_

_Safe in my own skin_

_I just want to be_

_Happy again. . . ._

--Dido Armstrong

The world was once a dark nothingness, but not in a malignant way. It felt as if I were finally asleep in a safe place where I would never be bothered again. But when you are a raised and trained as a Samurai, you get used to the let downs in life.

I have no idea what brought me back from the dead, but it did. I might as well thank the cruel animator; I felt youth in my bones. I felt like I was eighteen. I had my speed and power back. I felt like I was unbeatable.

But after being dead more than once, I knew that wasn't so. The Temple in Besaid was an odd place to be brought back to life in, the last time I had seen it was when I went with Jecht's brat Tidus to defeat Sin. The halls sang with pain. I was beginning to understand why.

Pyreflies were swarming; there were fiends all around just forming out of nowhere. I went to the chamber of the Fayth and saw the most fearsome undead thing I had ever seen.

Valefore, Yuna's very first summon glared at me as the last of its natural color disappeared and it became a monster. I reached for my blade; It was where it always was. The weight was so familiar and I felt life pulse through my veins.

A sonic boom paraded past where I once was, but I was too fast for the newly recovered Aeon. The feather's flew upwards as I made the first strike. I ran into the black blood as it splattered across my flesh, burning slightly. Oh yes, pain.

I was definitely alive. How wonderful. Was this my story after all? Did guardians ever have stories? The Avion finally recovered as I sat there in a stupor about my livelihood. A sonic blast forced me out of the chamber and into a brick wall. I guess it would behoove me to run for the entrance. I wondered if Yuna was doing alright without Tidus?

There were crumbling pebbles right behind me, nicking the back of my neck. The damn Aeon was still coming. That was to be expected. I kept my sword ready as I finally made it to the the entrance. I managed to bang on the door just before Valefor decided to catch up. As if in a charge, the beast came after me; I moved just in time for the bird to demolish the door. The bird roared and rolled into the open, allowing me a good strike. I managed to get a few good hits in, but then a blond girl with Yuna's voice came into the fight.

Realization hit me like a brick. This girl had to be Yuna's daughter. And the father was . . .

Tidus stared at me. I stared back, even as an epic battle was occurring in the background, I could not take my eyes off of the dream. Tidus had to be the father. He was older, and well lived. My sword came over my shoulder as his daughter destroyed the undead Aeon. I noticed Wakka and Lulu as well, also aged. But then my eyes fell on one more woman. Her silver hair was astounding, her eyes as red as blood, and her sword ready to kill. Rikku was staring at me as well, much more shocked. I looked behind me and saw a boy about the Tidus's child's age.

He was helping. I jerked my head towards Valefor with a half smile. Time for our duty to be fulfilled. If this was Yuna's daughter, then my role as guardian passed from Yuna to her daughter.

Valefor gave another yell, the daughter fought fiercly as if possessed. She lacked discipline. She lacked poise for a warrior. She reminded me of Tidus when he first used a sword; Clumsy. But her swings were powerful even for a woman. Valefor aimed another blast at the daughter and caused her to sail across the chamber, and smash the face of Yunalesca.

Talk about desecration. I ran to the girl's side as did some of the other fighters.

"Get back over there and at least weaken the damn monster!" I yelled in return. The girl moaned softly and looked at me through unfocused eyes. Her eyes were . . . they scared me. That never happens. Death never even scared me. But her eyes did. Purple and yellow. There was something so odd and surreal about them.

"Who the hell are you?" she managed to get out. I shook my head. How uncouth. Of course this was Tidus's daughter. "I'm Yume. Nice to meet you. Have a nice day . . ."

She started to slip off into unconciousness. Something in me said that she was the only one who could really defeat Valefor. I started to wake her, but she began to move as if a voice had called to her. Her eyes were leaking silver and her sword flashed as it ran across Valefor. Her speed was inhuman and it came from no where. Eventually, the girl fell into unconciousness as the darkness was stripped away.

Valefor put its head against hers and disappeared. The girl was a summoner now.

Tidus, Lulu, and Wakka dropped their weapons in shock. I sheathed my sword. Time for explanations, I guessed. The random young man went to pick the girl up as he stared at me. The silver haired beauty was staring at me as well, more in curiosity than anything else.

"Auron?" Tidus asked. His voice was more like his father's now. He had aged so much. And here I was, as young as his daughter. "What is happening?"

Lulu smiled and clasped her hands at her mouth. Wakka smiled, slightly uncertain of what he should do.

- - - - - -

Night was coming towards the middle. Yume, Vadina, and Paine were all new acquaintances, all eager to know about me, though Tidus had asked me to not go into detail about the darkest secrets discovered from our journey. I chuckled at that. It would be rather hard to explain being dead for about twenty or so years.

In Lulu and Wakka's tent, we sat and ate a bit; after being dead so long, I was rather famished. Yume looked at me and her father, observing what was going on. She was a smart one; she was questioning me in her mind.

"Where is Yuna?" I asked, placing my jar of Sake down. The room became quiet as if the life had been sucked out. I was beginning to wonder if she were dead. Yume ran her hands through her unruly hair.

"Yuna is . . . sick. She has been getting progressively worse and all the healers don't know what is ailing her." Lulu supplied.

Wakka managed a nod. I asked to see her. They told me to wait till morning. She rarely got a peaceful night's sleep. I nodded in response and looked around the room.

"Perhaps Yuna's sickness connects in some way with the reappearance of the Aeons?" I suggested.

"We don't know about that . . ." Paine said. Rikku gave a yip.

"But I think Sin's reappearance is connected with y—everything else reappearing when we know it should not be." said Wakka.

Me? I was lumped together with Sin and the undead Aeons? Perhaps. Stranger things . . . no, this was pretty strange.

"Now that we have the big bird out of the way, we could reexamine the temple," Yume inputted.

And so I stood and walked towards the door. My skin was energized and ready to find out more on this subject. Sin had reappeared and that meant the Eternal Calm was not as permanent as everyone had hoped. And did this connect with Yuna's illness?

The temple was still crumbling and shuddering in the aftermath of the battle. Pyreflies were creating a mist about the floor, bringing to life several small fiends. Vadina had elected to come with Yume, Tidus, Rikku, Paine, and I. Wakka and Lulu went to check on Yuna's condition.

I lead the way through the puzzling corridors, the old stone in my hands. The next corner we turned, there stood a horrific Lich, feeding off of a smaller fiend. It's skull like head turned in our direction, causing Yume to gasp. Had she never seen fiends before?

The Lich disappeared and a few more appeared by where the fiend was. The blade in my hand started to throb with the animosity in the air. When the Lich appeared behind Yume, she noticed it rather quickly. Her blade sought the beast and found it, though it inflicted little damage. Vadina began to use a bladed ball that ricocheted off the several Liches, though it nearly hit me and gave Tidus a rather unexpected hair cut.

There were quite a few screeches in the room, not all from the beasts. I leaped into the air and tried to cross slash the undead ghost, but he vanished just before I managed to land anything. I stepped my foot back, regaining my balance just in time to feel the claw across my back, tearing into my red yukata.

I was taught to remain in control of my emotions, and so I did so. A spin and downward slash was satisfactory. The crunch of bone and splatter of ectoplasm assisted the visuals of pyre flies dispersing. I went to held Rikku, the once youthful and naïve child, but she was nearly as quick and as deadly as I. Paine was grinning with her victory as she fought back to back with Rikku. Tidus tried to help Yume, though the girl was an expert at isolating herself with three Liches all around her.

She was becoming much more quick. Charging towards one of the Liches, I gave a yell that caught Yume off guard, leaving her back wide open for one of the Liches to strike. Something flickered in my eyes, and Firaga burst from the blade of my sword and into one Lich. The force of my swing was so much that I cut one Lich clean through and half way through the second one. Yume turned just in time to catch the claw of the previously attacking Lich. With speed I would never expected, she grabbed the sword back and bashed the Lich in the skull with the broadside of the sword.

Talk about unorthodox.

Vadina gae a yell and rushed to Yume's side. To see if she was alright. But Yume was distracted. As were Tidus and myself. She saw it? That was odd. A blue hooded Fayth stood before us, only visable to Yume, Tidus, and I.

It pointed to the chamber of the Fayth and we followed it quickly, leaving the others in our dust.

The pyreflies were so dense it was difficult to see again. Yume lead the way, the image of her fading with the waves of the spirits. Her clothes shifted to something different, but Tidus did not seem alarmed by that.

When we reached the center of the room, the pyreflies stopped abruptly. I started to ask why Yume was wearing different clothes; including a map on her forearm.

"It's a Traveler's dress sphere. Yume will explain later. Look . . . ." Tidus said, pointing to a large hole where the summoner would have prayed was. A Fayth stood there, smiling.

"You already are in power of Valefor, Yume," said the child. Yume looked up and was caught off guard.

"Why is all of this happening?" asked Yume. The child chuckled.

"I cannot tell you, silly. You have to find out for yourself," teased the Fayth. "If I just told you what was happening, then what would you learn?"

Tidus looked at the Fayth. "What should we do? How should we begin to defeat Sin—again?"

The child sighed and pointed to Yume. "You cannot do this, Tidus. Yuna needs you here. Yume must go. It is her destiny to defeat the powers that hold this world hostage."

Tdus stepped back and looked at his daughter. She was wide eyed and silver streams were falling down her cheeks and off of her chin.

"And besides. . . . The Sin that you saw before you entered Luca is the least of your problems. I suggest you seek answers from above. Trust in the gods that came before Sin was born.

Trust in both Dream and Reality. . . ." the child said, fading into the black hole. Pyreflies began to fade from the temple and all of the groans from the monsters stopped.

I think a Fayth just died.


End file.
